Monday, December 30, 2013

Whether you're superstitious or not, it's hard not to put a little pressure on that first day of the New Year. Many of us have heard that what you do on January 1st, you'll be doing for the rest of the year. But the "rules" about what you should and shouldn't do on January 1st go far beyond that. Here are a few I found interesting:

The more blackeyed peas you eat on New Year's Day, the more prosperous you are. You're also supposed to add greens to this meal. It's a Southern thing.

If you leave your Christmas decorations up past December 31st, you'll bring last year's luck into this year. If you've had a great year, that would be a good thing, wouldn't it?

Nothing should leave the house on New Year's Day--even trash.

It is bad luck to begin the New Year in debt. Therefore, a check should be written to pay off all debts prior to December 31st. (Good luck with that one!)

The first person to enter your home on New Year's Day will influence your entire year. That person should ideally be tall, dark, and handsome...and come bearing such gifts as coal or a silver coin. (That says more than I could say about how old these superstitions are!)

You should kiss your significant other at midnight...or be prepared for a year of loneliness. If a person isn't nearby, you're supposed to kiss a pet.

You should never do laundry on New Year's Day. That's a requirement many of us can live with! But, seriously, superstition states that if you wash clothes on January 1st, a family member will die that year. Sounds like the plot of a bad horror movie.

While you're at it, don't do dishes either.

At midnight on New Year's Eve, you should open every door of your house to let out the bad from last year. And let in all the cold from this year.

Making noise at midnight scares away the evil spirits for the coming year. Our ancestors had some deep, dark fears, didn't they?

There you have it. Even if you aren't superstitious, this list can provide a good excuse to do absolutely no housework at least one day out of the year. Sounds like a good reason to rest to me!